Marketing Insight

Say "" to Your Nextdoor Article by Kelly A. Baltzell, M.A., CEO, Beyond Indigo Pets

Have you checked out Nextdoor (www.nextdoor.com)? If transparency. There is even an app if one is inclined. A you have, most likely it is for your personal life and not your person can post a question/statement and other people business. Nextdoor is a platform where neighbors can find can respond in the comments. People can also use tags like out information from other neighbors. Nextdoor creates a heart to show they liked a post or comment made by a “neighborhoods” of people. When a person signs up for neighbor. this platform, choices are given for which neighborhood includes a person’s home. Typically, only information in that What about businesses? particular neighborhood is shared with other neighbors Nextdoor is now open for local businesses to reach out to in that space. Other neighborhood information does not their communities. Practices can have their own presence bleed into an individual neighborhood unless it is about a on Nextdoor and also reach neighboring “neighborhoods.” business. In my area, I have seen people asking about: Here is how to be seen on Nextdoor:

▪ Local businesses that provide specific services, including 1. First, go to https://nextdoor.com/business. Then, type in veterinary services your business name and address to find your business if it ▪ Lost or found pets is listed in the Nextdoor system. ▪ Suspicious activity in the neighborhood 2. Nextdoor will show a list of possible businesses that ▪ Items for sale or to give away have the same name as your business. Next to the ▪ Safety name will be hearts with a number and the word It is simple to use and free for personal use. Everyone has “recommendations.” This is the same as reviews, but to use their own name and not a screen name to keep they use a different name. A business needs at least one

8800.824.3703Messenger | Octobermwiah.com 2019 Published: MWI Messenger – October 2019 Marketing Insight

recommendation to be seen by any neighborhoods. If percentage off can be given or X amount off on a service. A your business is listed, click the word “claim” next to it rather long description can be added to describe the offer and follow the steps. If your business is not listed, you and the business. will see “Not here? Create your business page.” Click A choice is then presented on how many days the Offer this and follow the steps. should run and how many people you desire it to reach. It seems a bit pricey, but that can depend on the number of days run and volume of neighborhoods that are reached. There is no targeting like or offers.

Want to try out Nextdoor and reach the neighborhood around you? Give us a call. Marketing done right matters greatly. Our results are the proof in the pudding with high click-through-rates and tails streaming through doors. Beyond Indigo has been conducting internet marketing for 3. Nextdoor is still in the early stages of development 22 years. Our CEO and COO have each been working in for business and, therefore, there is not much skill set marketing online for 24 years. Our team knows the old and needed to complete your hospital’s business page. A the new—we focus on results first and discuss costs second. logo/photo is needed and a description added to finish We are committed to staying up-to-date with the changing off the process. online environment, such as ADA compliance. Plus, we are 4. Finally, a verification process needs to happen to Google Ads Partners, and we know how to build Google complete the process. Nextdoor will call the business’s mobile-friendly and fast websites. Need help creating a phone number. As stated in its help section: “If the marketing plan? Call 877.244.9322, ext. 100, or go to business phone number has an automated system, a https://www.beyondindigopets.com/contact/. phone tree, a google voice number, or an extension, Also check out: the phone call will not come through.” If this is the case, it is suggested that a direct phone number is used ▪ Educational at BeyondIndigoPets.com/Blog for verification and then the business number can be ▪ Facebook at Facebook.com/BeyondIndigoPets changed back to the main number once the process is ▪ YouTube at YouTube.com/BeyondIndigoPets complete. ▪ at Pinterest.com/BeyondIndigoPet ▪ at @BeyondPets 5. Once the page is complete, it is time to ask a few of your key pet owners to leave a recommendation, which will enable the business page to show up in the Kelly Baltzell, M.A. is President and CEO of the Beyond neighborhood where the hospital is located. Nextdoor Indigo family of companies which she founded will walk you through the steps of how to email a client in 1997. Beyond Indigo is a full-service marketing company focusing on Search Engine Optimization, is directly to ask for the review. a Google Adwords Partner, Marketing, Online Reviews and websites. She has been a monthly columnist for MWI Animal Health since 2011. She has Offers: How to get your offers seen in other also has presented and been published in Australia, neighborhoods New Zealand, Canada and the UK. Just like other platforms, Nextdoor offers businesses a Beyond Indigo is an MWI Animal Health Distinct Advantage™ program higher visibility if they are willing to pay. Currently, the partner. To discuss how your practice can qualify for a free Distinct Advantage program membership, contact your MWI Territory Manager. system is very simple and basic. It is called “Offers.” On the practice’s Nextdoor page, there is a word called “Offers.” Click this “tab/word” to start the process. A page will show up with a few forms to complete. One line is where a

800.824.3703 mwiah.com Published: MessengerMWI Messenger | October – October 2019 92019